Tkaczyk’s Campaign Finance Army Pushing On

As she’s sworn in today as the newly minted senator from the 46th Senate District, Democrat Cecilia Tkaczyk is showing no intention of demobilizing her army of supporters who are pushing for a public financing of political campaigns.

Tkaczyk was heavily supported by groups that want to create a public financing system. She, with irony that was embraced by her backers, benefitted from an independent expedniture group that was funded by Jonathan Soros, the son of liberal financier George Soros.

In an email to supporters sent out today from Fair Elections for New York Campaign, Tkaczyk called on them to keep the pressure up on campaign finance reform on both state lawmakers and Gov. Andrew Cuomo:

There’s no question that big money dominates campaigns in New York. By creating a system of publicly financed elections, we’ll reward candidates for attracting support from ordinary voters, not CEO campaign contributors.

I need all of you to keep the pressure on and make sure that publicly financed Fair Elections gets signed into law this year.
Can you take a minute right now and email your state Senator, Assemblymember and Governor Cuomo? Tell them you want Fair Elections this year!

Without Fair Elections, we will again face the same problems we saw in the 2012 election. Candidates will spend more time raising money instead of talking to voters, and big money will continue to corrupt our legislative process.

In a separate email celebrating Tkaczyk’s swearing in today, the Center for Working Families writes that “fair elections” won’t happen without a public financing system.

A state budget that’s fair. A government that’s more responsive to average people.
We won’t get those things unless regular New Yorkers — not a few deep-pocketed donors — determine election outcomes. Publicly funded elections, or “Fair Elections,” can help make that happen.
Fair Elections improved things in New York City, where a six-to-one public match turns a $25 contribution into $175. Genuinely grassroots candidates now run viable campaigns. And when they get elected, their real constituents can hold them accountable.

Cuomo backs publicly financing, but he did not include any funding for a such a system in his $142.6 billion budget proposal yesterday. The governor’s book released on the same day of the State of the State notes that Cuomo is seeking separate, non-taxpayer revenues to fund the system, but otherwise leaves things vague on the matter of how it will be paid for.

Liz will be joined on the show tonight by Soros and Working Families Executive Director Dan Cantor.

Ms. Benjamin — Please ask Dan Cantor what it will take for him to be critical the IDC members who carry “WF” after their names? If it can be shown that they are the biggest obstacles to meaningful campaign finance reform – will Cantor finally criticize Klein, Savino, Smith and their alliance with Dean Skelos, arguably the biggest opponent to the WFP agenda on the State level? All 3 if these IDCers have that “WF” after their names on their official websites. The biggest obstacle to meaningful campaign finance reform is Dean Skelos who re-affirmed his opposition to public financing right after the State of the State. The only reason Skelos has any real power is because of the IDC/WF members Klein, Savino and Smith. If the IDC ends up being an obstacle to public financing, would Soros commit independent financing to support primary challengers to the IDC?

http://www.vjmachiavelli.blogspot.com VJ Machiavelli

How about funding it with all the contributions that have already been received by Andrew “Cesare” Cuomo, Shelly Silver The co-star of “Sex in The Assembly”. Mike G and yes Dean “The Fox Skelos” etc,etc/

Also what about Soro’s and all his supporters donating millions to the fund to kick things off. ?

What about you cannot use these funds for legal fee’s when you are under investigation or indicted.

I still say this could be a PLUS for the GOP in New York City, and for the other parties.

But how do you take the “Unions” and “Others” spending money as “INDEPENDENT” ?

Will Soro’s and his “ELK” still spend money to promote their causes ?

“Big Brother” Obama did not join the Federal one and the “Progressives” gave him Hundreds of Millions of dollars.

They very same people who want to see public financing in New York and else where.

This may be a boom for the GOP in New York City every two years they will be able to tap into this pool of money and run a campaign against the New York City Democ’RATS”

Before there was the “Oracle of Delphi” there was Count Vampire J. Machiavelli